Norfleet is now the all-time leader in kickoff return yards
October 12th, 2014 at 1:10 AM ^
Just like last week when we had this discussion, it's still quantity over quality. When he actually breaks a return, like Breaston managed to do a few times, then we can talk. Great kid, great energy, but one of these days he's going to have to actually score a damn touchdown.
October 12th, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^
but if you look at the kick return records at Michigan, there are some notable players who also never took one to the house, including Anthony Carter, Derrick Alexander, Jamie Morris, and Ron Johnson.
October 12th, 2014 at 11:36 AM ^
October 12th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^
Breaston was great!
I remember watching the bowl of UM vs. Texas and Vince Young. It seemed every time Young would lead Texas to a score breaston would bring Michigan right back in it the following play. Basically that game was Young vs. Breaston
October 12th, 2014 at 1:27 AM ^
This record is just a product of us being terrible...
October 12th, 2014 at 11:22 AM ^
October 12th, 2014 at 12:26 PM ^
- Desmond Howard 26.9
- Anthony Carter 25.5
- Darryl Stonum 24.8
- Steve Breaston 24.6
- Dennis Norfleet 23.6
- Jeremy LeSeuer 22.1
- Martavious Odoms 21.7
- Jamie Morris 20.1
- Mercury Hayes 18.8
- Ron Johnson 16.6
October 12th, 2014 at 1:31 AM ^
It's kind of telling that in three years, Michigan hasn't found anyone better for the job. Norfleet is a great dancer, and seems nice enough, but talent-wise, he belongs at a MAC school.
October 12th, 2014 at 1:42 AM ^
Oh fuck off.
I could type out a well reasoned response explaining how Norfleet has impressed practically every time he is given the ball on offense, but it boils down to just that. Fuck off.
October 12th, 2014 at 7:11 AM ^
...but yet here you are, on MGoBlog.
October 12th, 2014 at 1:57 AM ^
With Norfleet out there we tend to forget the terror of repeated dropped kicks from a few years ago
October 12th, 2014 at 2:42 AM ^
October 12th, 2014 at 3:01 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 12th, 2014 at 6:21 AM ^
Looking deeper this is a sad statistic. Think about how many kickoffs never get returned due to the ball going out of the end zone, this was much rarer prior to the kickers moving up. Then think about how many TDs Norfleet has on kickoff returns. Or even returns past the 40 yard line. So it shows that we've given up way too many scores over the past two and a half years and how bad our special teams are.
October 12th, 2014 at 10:14 AM ^
I'm not really sure how or where it got started, but he's generated this "dangerous return man" reputation without actually providing a ton of big returns (I think the proprietor of this website has contributed to it). It's kind of like how Dantonio for a while was viewed as this strong disciplinarian despite evidence to the contrary, just because people kept saying it over and over again.
I think Norfleet would be more dangerous and more effective as a fully-used slot receiver/jet sweep guy than a returner, where's he's just fine but at a certain point, if you're always THISCLOSE to busting one but never actually do it, that might just be who you really are as a returner.
October 12th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^
October 12th, 2014 at 10:31 AM ^
I will say this - he has been incredibly consistent every year on returns.
2012- 23.6 per return (46th in the country)
2013 - 23.5 per return (51st in the country)
2014 - 24 per return (42nd in the country)
2015 projection - 23.5sh (45sh in the country)
So yeah, very consistent. Consistently average, but consistent.
October 12th, 2014 at 11:25 AM ^
October 12th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
Michigan's had a total of ten KO returns for touchdowns. That's one every 6 1/2 years; it's not really so surprising or disappointing that Norfleet hasn't had one.
October 12th, 2014 at 3:36 PM ^
known as the Team 135 Special Teams unit. I have yet to see where Norfleet has one or two guys to juke, but can't. He's usually juking the second he catches the balland getting dropped the minute the opposing team routinely sheds their block.